


first dates

by sehuner



Category: EXO (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Angst, Angst with a Happy Ending, Character Death, Cigarettes, Cigars, First Dates, M/M, Time Loop
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-30
Updated: 2020-12-30
Packaged: 2021-03-10 21:33:31
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,698
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28433961
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sehuner/pseuds/sehuner
Summary: —- whenever one’s other half passes away, the other one who’s left behind gets to relive their first date with the memories of their love unlike the other one who has no idea what is yet to come.
Relationships: Byun Baekhyun/Oh Sehun, Kim Jongin | Kai/Oh Sehun
Comments: 1
Kudos: 9





	first dates

**Author's Note:**

> \- one shot!  
> \- cheesy as hell idk what i was going thru  
> \- inspired by a local song called “sa susunod na habang buhay” which translates to the next forever but means “(maybe) in the next lifetime” :( by local band ben&ben ! CHECK IT OUT

“so...” jongin tried to start the conversation, but after seeing sehun dazed out and blankly staring at him, all he could do was sip from his drink. 

the restaurant wasn’t crowded, which was weird because the food there is amazing. it’s almost sunset, and the two were seated near a window. the view was amazing. 

jongin sighed, “your soup’ll get cold,” jongin said, “it’s chicken soup.” he whispered, nose scrunch came out naturally. but sehun? no response, no movements, no anything. jongin couldn’t take the awkwardness anymore, he had to talk about it. “look, i get it. i get it! i know we’re both used to being rowdy and cringey with each other but what i’m not used to is this,” jongin dramatically sighed, “i can’t not talk to you, like what the fuck?” he laughed the tension off. 

sehun still hasn’t moved or talked. he was just there, leaning on his chair with his straight posture, hands clasped together on top of the table, eyes on the other one. 

jongin leaned back as he inhaled, a smile was building up on his face too. “i think i get it,” he covered his mouth with his hands, trying to cover his smile. sehun had no idea what he was talking about. “are you high?” jongin whispered. thankfully the restaurant only had a few people, no one heard it. 

“you haven’t touched your food.” jongin pointed at sehun’s plate with his eyes. 

“and you haven’t answered my calls.” sehun finally responded, but he only spoke under his breath. jongin quickly picked his phone up that was placed beside his unused utensils. “uh... cause you didn’t call me?” jongin showed his phone to sehun, but sehun didn’t even look at it. he was still staring at jongin, still hasn’t moved an inch.

“i did,” sehun whispered. “you just weren’t able to receive it.”

-

the sun rays shining through the window landed on sehun’s closed eye lids, making him open it and stand up to close the curtains. he always forget to close the curtains, but no one’s there to remind him that. sehun walked back to his bed and closed his eyes for a few more seconds, but his sleepy feeling is gone. 

_ man, i wish i were  just _ _high._ he thought after his mind decided to show a short flashback of jongin asking him if he was. sehun started his morning like normal. washed his face, brushed his teeth, etc. he got out and sat down for a while. he grabbed his phone and browsed the internet, his messages, and all of a sudden a friend started calling him. sehun swiped to answer, 

“yes?” 

“good morning, how are you?” kyungsoo’s enthusiastic voice greeted him. which was unusual. kyungsoo’s never enthusiastic, but sehun appreciates how hard kyungsoo was trying just to make sure he’s fine. “getting used to the silence, but i’m good.” sehun looked around his empty nest, nodding as he accepts the reality. “do you want me to bring you lunch? do you want us to come over? i’ll text the boys.” kyungsoo was offering everything he thinks that might help sehun feel better. sehun chuckled, “that’d be nice.” kyungsoo’s voice continued to sound jolly and cheerful, “fuck yeah! i’ll text them. we’ll be there by evening. don’t skip breakfast.” kyungsoo said. “i’ll see you then.” sehun smiled, his heart felt so blessed that he has friends like them. 

hours passed, the sun was about to set, and little by little sehun’s empty nest gets filled by his friends. 

junmyeon was helping kyungsoo cook, yixing and chanyeol were playing games on their phones, jongdae and sehun just watching them, and minseok owning the tv.

it was loud, it was nice. and sehun could feel how hard his friends were trying, he appreciated it so much that he wanted to kneel and thank some god out there for them even though he’s atheist. but no matter how lively his place was, he still feels incomplete. sehun went to the balcony. the sun was setting and the view from his unit was beyond gorgeous. the weather was warm but the breeze the air was giving made the perfect combination. 

minutes later and the doorbell rang. sehun went back inside to open it but jongdae was already on the door. the door opened and a man with bags of chips was seen. it was baekhyun who still smells like the inside of his car, it was obvious that he was stuck in traffic once again. “baekhyun’s here!” jongdae announced and all heads turned, except the ones who were playing. sehun welcomed him and helped him carry the bags of chips while baekhyun was removing his shoes. sehun placed the chips on the table and baekhyun placed is shoes on the side. “did you guys eat already?” baekhyun asked, “nope, still cooking.” kyungsoo’s voice was heard from the kitchen. 

“uh,” baekhyun approached sehun, but he wasn’t sure how. baekhyun was confident talking to sehun but that’s because sehun was facing the opposite direction, he still wasn’t done preparing the chips. sehun turned around and baekhyun quickly looked away. he didn’t want eye contact, unlike sehun who was ready to meet the latter’s eyes anytime. “uh, just, wanted to ask if you’re doing better.” baekhyun said, still avoiding eye contact. “then ask me.” said sehun, facing baekhyun with his whole body this time. “are you doing better?” baekhyun awkwardly smiled, he thought it’d make it less awkward but it just made it worse. “no.” sehun answered honestly and quickly. baekhyun nodded, “i know us being here won’t change that but just know that we’re here for you.” he said before walking towards the living room where the rest of the boys were. 

sehun went back to the balcony, jongdae followed. “this is nice.” jongdae stretched his arms as the wind blows through his hair. “right?” sehun smiled. jongdae wanted to ask him something, but he was unsure if it was right to ask him now that he’s at his lowest. 

“you noticed _it_ , didn’t you?” sehun suddenly asked, jongdae was confused. “the what?” jongdae asked. sehun reached out for his right pocket to get his cigar box. he offered jongdae one stick and jongdae accepted it. “the way baekhyun and i were interacting, weird, huh?” sehun placed the cigar stick in between his lips that’s why some of his pronunciations were unclear. jongdae chuckled because it felt like sehun could read minds, “i mean, i didn’t mean to eavesdrop but my ears are clean.” jongdae borrowed sehun’s lighter. 

a moment of silence passed, “i don’t know why i said _that._ ” sehun exhaled smoke, reminiscing something that’s happened long ago. “because you were so sure.” jongdae said while smoke was coming out from his mouth. “baekhyun’s fucking amazing, as a friend and as a person.” said sehun, “but,” he shrugged. jongdae sighed, “don’t overthink it, it’s still too early.” he said as he patted the younger one’s back. 

sehun, he said something to baekhyun 6 months ago. they were in the hospital where jongin was confined. everyone knew that jongin only had a few months left, but sehun couldn’t accept it. jongin told everyone to leave the room first so he could talk to sehun alone,

and baekhyun too.

the three of them have always been the best of friends. but it almost fell apart when the three of them found out that feelings have been involved in their friendship. jongin and baekhyun loved sehun but jongin was the lucky one who got to receive the love back from sehun. of course baekhyun was hurt, but he’d rather see his friends happy than him happy while jongin isn’t.

that’s why jongin made it clear that when he dies, he’d love it if baekhyun’s going to be the one who completes sehun again. 

and that’s why sehun told baekhyun that he’d rather not love again than push himself to someone he sees as a friend and nothing more.

“but you know, that hurt.” jongdae added, the smoke still coming out from his mouth. “just let time pass and see what happens.” he shrugged.

-

“you know it’s only been 2 years since jongin’s demise, is this okay?” baekhyun asked, stirring his cup of juice with its straw for the 20th time for no reason. sehun smiled, “he’d love this.” but baekhyun wasn’t sure whether to agree with sehun or not. somehow he still feels like he’s just a replacement and everything’s still one sided. “you seem to be...” baekhyun couldn’t finish his sentence after seeing sehun just smiling at him and just observing him. “what’s going on with you?” baekhyun face started to look skeptical. 

sehun sighed, “i’m happy, baekhyun.” he said, making baekhyun’s ears turn red. “but there’s probably still a tiny thought that the person you’re talking to right now should’ve been him.” baekhyun said with a forced smile while avoiding sehun’s gaze once again. “not exactly,” sehun tilted his head, “yes, i still wonder what everything would be like if he was still here, and i sometimes wish i could talk to him,” sehun leaned back, “but the way you are sitting there, acting like something’s on your plate just to avoid my eyes is something i’m thankful for _damn_ that’s cheesy.” sehun cringed at himself.

“i’m not saying i’m thankful that jongin’s not here because fuck i’d kill to bring him back but i’m thankful that he loved me too much he even made sure i’d be the happiest,” sehun casually said while the other one was having the best midlife time.

but baekhyun noticed how sehun was being too comfortable,

and how he’s saying everything like they already had something.

“isn’t that too much for a first date?” baekhyun asked, smiling genuinely this time without having to worry about anything.

sehun smiled, “trust me, _i know_ i’ll be the happiest.” 

_ because little did the smaller one know that it’s been 30 years since jongin’s passing. _

_ 28 years since sehun and baekhyun started growing old together. _

_ 28 years since their first date. _

_ a day since sehun is left alone again, but this time he’s happy and thankful, even if his hair’s grey. _


End file.
